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MODULE 6: SCALE TO $50K+ (PAID ADS + SYSTEMS)

You've hit $10K MRR. Congratulations. Now it's time to scale.

Don't start paid ads until you have 50-100 paying customers. You need to know who actually pays, what messaging converts, which features matter, and you need testimonials.

Running ads on a broken product wastes money.

The minimum budget that actually works

• 30 conversions at 3% conversion rate = 1,000 clicks
• 1,000 clicks at $1/click = $1,000/month
• Minimum daily budget: $30-35/day

Don't have $1,000/month? Wait. Save up. Or stay organic longer. $10/day won't teach you anything except how to waste $300.

Google vs Meta: Which first?

If:

• People already search for your solution ("habit tracker app," "CPR training software")
• You're B2B or professional tools
• You're solving an existing, known problem

-> Start with Google

If:

• You're creating a new category (people don't know to search for it)
• You're consumer/lifestyle (visual storytelling matters)
• You're targeting interests, not problems (yoga lovers, productivity enthusiasts)

Why it works: Visual discovery. They don't know they need it until they see it.

-> Start with Meta (Facebook/Instagram)

Test angles, not colors

Don't test blue button vs green button. Test completely different value propositions.

Four angles to test:

1. Speed/time savings → "Build Daily Habits in 60 Seconds/Day"
2. Results/outcomes → "72% of Users Hit Their First 30-Day Streak"
3. Problem awareness → "Tired of Habit Apps That Make You Feel Guilty?"
4. Innovation/tech → "The First Habit Tracker Built by AI"

Pro tip: Give each ad 5-7 days and 1,000+ impressions before judging.

Conversion tracking (non-negotiable)

Track three things:

1. Trial signups (cheapest to optimize for)
2. Paid conversions (what you actually care about)
3. Key engagement (completed onboarding, used core feature)

Setup takes 20 minutes. Facebook Pixel or Google Tag. Test with a $10 campaign. If conversions don't show up in your dashboard, fix it before spending real money.

The profitability threshold

Your ads work when:

Customer Lifetime Value ÷ Customer Acquisition Cost = 3:1 or better

Example:

• Customer stays 10 months at $30/month = $300 LTV
• Target CAC = $100 (3:1 ratio)
• If your cost per conversion is $120, you're losing money
• Optimize until you hit $100 or below

If you can't get to 3:1 after 90 days, your product has a problem. Either pricing is too low, churn is too high, or the product isn't solving the problem well enough.

Fix the product first. Then come back to ads.

The $10K checklist

Before you hit $10K, make sure you have:

Product:

• [ ] Core features work reliably
• [ ] Onboarding is smooth
• [ ] Key integrations functional (payment, auth, etc.)
• [ ] Mobile works (if applicable)

Customer success:

• [ ] Respond to support within 24 hours
• [ ] Track retention/churn
• [ ] Collect testimonials
• [ ] Monitor NPS or satisfaction

Growth engine:

• [ ] At least 2 acquisition channels working
• [ ] Content calendar planned 4 weeks ahead
• [ ] Customer stories pipeline
• [ ] Paid ads testing (if budget allows)

Business foundations:

• [ ] Payment processing set up correctly
• [ ] Legal (terms, privacy policy)
• [ ] Basic analytics (revenue, churn, LTV)
• [ ] Runway for 6+ months

What happens after $10K

$10K → $50K (optimization phase):

• Double down on what's working
• Cut what isn't
• Hire first contractor/employee (usually customer support or content)

$50K → $100K (scaling phase):

• Expand marketing channels
• Improve product based on feedback
• Build small team (2-5 people)

$100K+ (you've built a real business):

• Focus on retention and expansion revenue
• Consider raising funding (if desired)
• Plan long-term strategy

Software is changing hands

You just read everything we know about building profitable apps without coding.

The common thread across every successful builder:

• They understood their niche deeply (domain expertise)
• They started before they felt ready (shipped imperfect v1)
• They charged money early (validated willingness to pay)
• They didn't self-limit (built what customers actually needed)
• They focused on outcomes not features (sold results, not software)

The future is clear: Software is changing hands. The people building the next wave of products won't be traditional developers. They'll be domain experts like you—people who understand problems deeply and now have the tools to solve them.

Your move.

Ready to build? Try Anything: createanything.com

📌 Other modules in this series:

• Module 1: Validate Your Idea →
• Module 2: How to Build It →
• Module 3: Pricing Strategy →
• Module 4: First 100 Customers →
• Module 5: Launch Strategy →
• Bonus Module: 50 Vibe-Coding Prompts ->
• Bonus Module: ASO Optimization Guide ->

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